Process of sterilizing cheese



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

m I. ELDEEDGB, OI SIDNEY, HEW Your.

PBOOES S OF STEBILIZIRG O 1 1 Re Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Emma E. Emnnnen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sidney, State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of sterilizing Gheese, of which the followin is a speclfication.

his invention relates to a process of sterilizing cheese and the roduct which is obtained thereby and has or its object the provision of a rocess whereby the cheese may be complete y sterilized in such a manner that the disintegration of the cheese is prevented and a cheese mass produced of a' 00d body and texture and very palatable. n my previous application Serial No. 303,391, filed June 11, 1919, I have descrlbed a process for sterilizing cheese which consists essentially in the following steps The cheese is trimmed and ground or sliced into small particles after which it is placed in a mixing kettle and about two per cent. of sodiumcitrate b weight and a small amount of water is ad ed, after which the material is brou ht to a temperature of about 170 F. ile it is in the melted condition it is then poured into containers which are hermetically sealed. The containers after being filled and sealed in the manner described, are then placed in a steam retort and the temperature of 'the container and its cheese content is raised to about 240 F. where it is maintained for a eriod of time suflicient to com letely sterilize the cheese. In practice it is found advisable to maintain this temperature of approximately 240 F. until the center of the cheese has been maintained at this temperature for about 20 minutes. The duration of the sterilizing treatment is therefore determined by the size of the can or package of cheese, the larger size containers re uirmg a greater time for complete sterilization.

In this process I have described that by adding the two per cent. of sodium citrate by we1 ht to the cheese mass, the constituents o the cheese are prevented from disintegrating as for example, the fats and casein wil not separate out and this is true even when the sealed container and its. cheese contents is raised to a temperature of ap roximately 240 F.

n my rior process I have described that sodium citrate or sodium lactate are the only ingredients which may be added to the, cheese mass and which to my knowl- Speciflcaflon of Letters Patent. Application filed September 24, me. emu No. 828,088.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

edge will prevent the disinte ation of the cheese. have discovered owever, that there can be substituted for the sodium citrate or the sodium lactate other chemicals which will react with the cheese in the same manner and prevent the disintegration of the cheese.

Accordingly, therefore, the present invention consists in the process as above outlined with the exception that, instead of adding 2% by weight of sodium citrate or sodium lactate, I'use in place of these salts approximately 2% by weight of sodium phosphate. This chemical is added to the cheese while in the mixing kettle, as previously described, and I have found that by the use of this chemical instead of sodium citrate, the separation of the cheese mass into its constituents is prevented and, in fact, a cheese obtained which has a good body and is very palatable. Therefore, it is m claim the process above descri d in combination with the use of the chemical described, as will be clear from the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim,

1. In a process of sterilizing cheese, the steps which comprise mixing approximately 98% of the cheese with 2% of sodium hosphate, then heating the mass to a steri- 1z1n%temperature.

2. n a rocess of sterilizing cheese, the steps whic comprise mixing approximately 98% of cheese with approximately 2% of sodium hosphate, then heating the mass and whi e in a melted condition packing it in containers and thereafter sealing the containers and finally raising the temperature of the container and its contents to a sterilizing temperature and maintaining this temperature for a suflicient period of time to sterilize the cheese.

3. In a process of sterilizing cheese, the steps which comprise mixing approximately 98% of cheese with approximately 2% of sodium hosphate, then heating the mass and whi e in a melted condition packing it in containers and thereafter sealing the con-' tainers and finally raising the temperature of the container and its contents to a proximately 240 F. and maintaining this te perature for a suflicient time to sterilize t a cheese.

4. In a recess of cheese, the steps whic comprise mixing approximately 98% of cheese and 2% by weig t of sodium phosphate, then heating the mass and while in a melted condition packing it in containers and thereafter sealing the containers and finally raising the temperature of the container and its contents to a sterilizing temperature and maintaining this temperature for a suflicient period of time to sterilize the cheese.

5. In a process of sterilizing cheese, the steps which comprise mixing approximately 98% of cheese wlth 2% by weig phosphate, then heating the mass and while 1; of SOdlUIIl' in a melted condition packing it in eontaim' ers and thereafter sealing the containers and finally raising the temperature of the 16 6. A sterilized cheese mass consisting sub- 20 stantially of 98% of cheeseand 2% of sodium phosphate.

ELMER E. ELDREDGE. 

